Turkey Shotguns

Turkey Chokes: The Most Important Turkey Hunting Upgrade

A tight turkey choke is the single most impactful equipment decision for turkey hunting — more than the shotgun itself. Standard full chokes pattern turkey loads at 60–70% at 40 yards. Dedicated turkey chokes (Kicks, Primos Jelly Head, Carlson’s) pattern at 80–90%+ at 40 yards by restricting the shot column more aggressively. This tighter pattern puts more pellets in the 10″ kill zone at distance. Most modern turkey shotguns accept interchangeable choke tubes — always pattern your gun with your chosen choke and ammunition at 40 and 50 yards before season to know exactly where your pattern is densest.

Best Turkey Shotguns: Mossberg 500/590, Browning Maxus & Benelli SBE3

The Mossberg 500 Turkey is the most popular budget turkey gun — a reliable pump in full camo with a factory turkey choke at an accessible price. The Browning Maxus II Turkey is the top semi-auto choice for turkey hunters who want faster follow-up shots and reduced felt recoil from magnum loads. The Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 Turkey handles the heaviest 3.5″ magnum loads reliably through its inertia system — the premium choice for hunters in states where maximum range matters. The Winchester SXP Turkey is a quality pump alternative to the Mossberg at a similar price point.

12 Gauge vs. 20 Gauge for Turkey: Choosing Your Caliber

12 gauge remains the dominant turkey caliber because 3.5″ magnum loads deliver the pellet count (450+ #5 shot pellets) and energy for reliable kills to 60 yards with quality chokes. 20 gauge has improved dramatically with tungsten super shot (TSS) loads — TSS’s higher density means smaller pellets carry more energy, making a 20 gauge TSS load competitive with 12 gauge lead loads. For youth hunters or recoil-sensitive adults, 20 gauge with TSS ammunition is a genuine option that doesn’t sacrifice effectiveness. For maximum pattern density and range with conventional lead or tungsten shot, 12 gauge wins.

Turkey Ammunition: Lead, Heavyweight, and TSS Options

Standard lead turkey loads (#4, #5, or #6 shot) in 3″ or 3.5″ are the traditional choice and most affordable. Heavyweight shot loads (HEAVYWEIGHT, Apex, Federal Heavyweight) use denser-than-lead pellets that carry more energy at distance — popular for 50+ yard shots. Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) at 18 g/cc density is the premium tier — so dense that #9 or #10 TSS pellets carry as much energy as #5 or #6 lead, allowing tighter patterns with more pellets. TSS loads are expensive ($8–12 per shell) but deliver maximum pattern density and range. For most turkey hunters shooting within 40 yards, quality lead loads with a tight choke are entirely adequate.

Turkey Shotgun Accessories: Sights & Decoys

Open bead sights are inadequate for precise 40–50 yard turkey shots. A fiber-optic front sight or red dot optic dramatically improves accuracy — most modern turkey shotguns include a Picatinny rail for optic mounting. A Holosun red dot mounted on a turkey gun transforms it into a precision tool capable of consistent 50-yard head shots. A sling keeps the gun manageable during long sits. Full-coverage camo finish is essential — turkeys have excellent color vision and spot movement instantly.

Turkey Shotguns & Related Pages

For the Mossberg 500 Turkey, see our Mossberg 500 page. For the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, see our Benelli page. For the full shotgun gauge selection, see our 12 gauge and 20 gauge shotgun pages. For semi-automatic shotguns covering the full semi-auto turkey lineup, see our semi-auto shotguns page.